Writing and performing music that may be described as pensive, emotional, and contemporary, Italian composer Ludovico Einaudi put on a powerful show at the Sydney Opera House. As part of the impressive Graphic Festival roster, it was easy to see how Einaudi’s music could be seen as cinematic, and consequently a fantastic fit for the festival that celebrates graphic storytelling, animation and music. Indeed, the performance was accompanied by visuals by Claudio Sinatti, a multimedia artist based in Milan. With a background in working with music and video, Sinatti certainly did an impressive job of accentuating the stories being told by the musicians.
While staying at his grand piano for the duration of the performance, Einaudi was accompanied by a fantastic six piece that allowed for great experimentations and variation. Always led by Einaudi's graceful piano playing, the ensemble created music that worked on a seemingly simple theme, to gradually build their sound into something complex and powerful. For instance, the first number began slowly, taking its time to grow into a stronger sound that escalated into driving persuasion and the rich layering of instrumentation. Having the visuals of growing plants on the large screen above the musicians certainly served to enhance this feeling, as the images throughout the show worked on the theme of nature and the solar system.
It was particularly interesting to take in the sounds and visuals that evoke the eery atmosphere that is associated with space. Creating a tense soundscape, Einaudi and his ensemble drew upon the more fraught sounds of their instruments including their electric guitar and cello, making for powerful listening. And as sharp red lines and shapes were shown in the background, the highlight of the night would have to have been their spiralling into great intensity, drawing upon strong rock influences.
It was certainly a unique and thought provoking show, as one would expect to be delivered by the composer who wrote the scores for films including The Intouchables and Doctor Zhivago. Yet, at many moments across the performance, the visuals provided by Einaudi could have been stronger. While they did manage to reflect and even enrich the music, they came across as a little too simple and repetitive, particularly when you consider that the performance was for Graphic Festival.
A great show nevertheless, this was certainly an arresting and interesting show put on by all artists involved.